Silent Bliss
by TimelessNight
Summary: AU. And so the nameless have names and the legends become but distant memories. And life goes on, for most. [Re-write to Strength, Honor, and Love] SasuHina. NaruSaku. ItaOC.
1. Prologue

**So I decided I did want to restart this.**

**I'm having a bit of writer's block on ****_Tokubetsu Clan_**** so hopefully with this I can clear all that up.**

**If you read _Strength, Honor, and Love _i'm sorry. That was a horrible run for me and I hope this one is a lot better. I plan on keeping the plot but not the plotline. So expect different ideas and scenes in this. I'm planning on _hopefully_ making the chapters longer and more descriptive but please don't hold me to that because it'll take a lot.**

**If you haven't read _Strength, Honor, and Love_ than enjoy and thank you for stopping by.**

**Slow updates as usual because I'm looking into college next year and yeah. I have a life.**

**/\**

**Name: **_**Silent Bliss**_

**Chapter Couples: S_asuHina - naruhina_******

**Chapter Genres: angst - family - friendship - hurt/comfort - mystery - romance - ****suspense**

**Chapter Rated: _T_**

**Status: **_**In-Progress**_

**Time: _The Present.__  
_**

**Note: **_**This is a different world, an AU. Everyone is OOC - Don't complain. **_

**/\**

**Silent Bliss**

**Introduction**

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Pale white eyes move along the frame of dark skin and ice for hair. "She's pretty," the woman decides, watching as the girl in question turns her head and looks in her general direction. A frown paints itself on her lips when the tall girl ends up heading back on her way once again after a moment and she a sigh leaves her lips, making it obvious that she is displeased with what had just occurred.

"Can't see past simple gen-justu, though." The blonde man beside her grunts and she crosses her arms, agreeing in her own, silent, way. "She could get killed by anyone with the mind and drive to do it." He continues, stating his displeasure. And making it obvious that he wants nothing more than to be back on their mountain.

"You're sure you have the right girl, Hime?" The man from her right murmurs, his voice light and it carries through the trees. "Someone from the Kurama Clan should have-"

"She should have seen past the gen-justu." The long haired woman agrees and her frown suddenly deepens. "But that is her; that is the daughter of Yakumo Kurama." She promises because it is.

"The daughter of Yakumo Kurama!" The blonde exclaims suddenly, like he had not been aware of this little piece of information, and looks at the woman as if she'd gone nuts. "Do you realize how crazy this is? That girl's mother-"

"It's fine, Naruto." She smiles at him, instantly calming him with waves of trust and contentedness. "I've spoken with Yakumo myself, she knows the dangers and believes her daughter is fit enough to stand up to the marks placed on her."

But Naruto fights back the waves of emotion she threw his way and turns to the other male in their three-man cell. "Sasuke," he starts, noting the man's silence on the topic at hand. "Please tell me you understand the dangers of this. That's not just a Kurama that's one of _the_ Kurama." He hisses and throws his friend a hopeful look.

"Naruto," Sasuke murmurs evenly. "I do understand the dangers." He agrees finally and the blonde lets out a sigh of relief. "But," he intervened, making Naruto curse under his breath but he got comfortable too quickly. "We don't choose our charges. The Fates have decided Mayumi Kurama is one of us. _And so the Fates choose the Chosen, and the Chosen before shall lavish in their power._" He resides easily, making his companion roll his eyes. "If Hinata says Mayumi is _her_, than so be it."

Hinata kisses his cheek and Naruto groans.

"We're gonna regret this."

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"Oddball," Sasuke decides immediately, his eyes sharp and his annoyance quickly heightens in the matter of seconds. The short boy before them stumbles back as the three older boys continue to push and laugh at him, calling him crude names. A snap is heard and the three boys instantly take a step back as their victim cries out in sudden pain.

"Poor thing," Hinata breathes and even winces a bit when the bullies run away at the site of the boy's bleeding arm. It is twisted back and if not healed within time, he would probably have to have it broken again just so the medics could heal it in place. It reminds her of her own childhood of being bullied.

Sasuke, though, feels little to no pity towards the small boy. Sure, he is under weight and far too short to even be twelve years old but still. He should have stood up for himself. He is not only a ninja but he is a Rinha. He should have been able to fight off those lousy bullies and then healed himself without a second thought. It is in his blood to do so.

Naruto shakes his head, lulling it to the side to look at his adopted brother, obviously having read his mind all the easy. "Sasuke, don't feel so negative. You're the one that's supposed to teach him-"

"_Teach him the ways of the Chosen._ I know. He's just so small and it's not.. it's not right for him to _him_." Sasuke says, and if you didn't know him well enough you'd believe he was pouting, his lips set in the smallest of frowns and his eyes soft in remembrance.

But Sasuke is not pouting, he is seething. He is angry that this child was his precious student, _him_. It isn't fair that Orochimaru got him and he is getting... "Ryou Rinha." He breathes, his eyes having long turned cold and he feels the anger bubble inside him so deep he doesn't want to even look at the kid any longer.

"Let's go find Naruto's kid. Hopefully he isn't such a disappointment like the child before me." Before they can really stop him, Sasuke is gone in the speed it takes lightning to hit the earth.

"He's angry." Hinata points out the obvious, and her friend looks at her, shaking his head, before he too is gone; floating away with the winds that blow through her thick tresses of hair.

Hinata was going to move as well, sink down into the soil and water the plants below them but she decides last minute to stay and watch the child again. He is sniffling and looking around, lost. She wants to help him, it is a maternal instinct, but she knows she can't. That isn't her job. Her job is elsewhere. She sighs and moves to leave but pauses. Oh.

The child has a smirk on his face, and he rolls his eyes as he heals the break in his arm with far too great of ease. It is then that Hinata realizes he did fight back against the bullies, he broke his own arm to run them off and then played the hurt boy until he thought he was alone. And suddenly she understands why this is Sasuke's job. His charge. His Chosen.

With a smile on her face she leaves, realizing they'll be just fine as mentors.

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"That's him?" Both Hinata and Sasuke ask, surprise evident in their voices. The child they are watching is tall and looked about fifteen instead of twelve. He is beautiful really with fire for hair and eyes the color of the brightest day in summer. His skin is sun kissed and the smile on his face is too genuine to fit is stature.

Naruto chuckles, obviously as surprised as his partners. "That's him. That's Kiyoshi Tsuchigumo." He nods and Sasuke makes an annoyed noise, clearly he is displeased with this arrangement and thinks if anything he deserves this child as his Chosen.

To be honest, they all did.

They watch the child walk the market, greeting everyone politely and bowing to the small girls that giggled and waved at him. Instantly the three of them think of Sasuke and the girls in their class when they were younger.

"Kiyoshi-kun!" A small girl that looks like the average twelve year old, probably in his classes, with long brown hair and familiar green eyes runs up to him, putting a hold to his shopping. Her face is red and she plays with the end on her soft blue dress. "Ano.. Hi, Kiyoshi-kun."

Kiyoshi, in turn, smiles kindly at her and waves. "I can not speak right now, Natsuka-chan, but we can converse at a later time, yes?"

Even his voice is beautiful, velvet soft and sweet to hear. Like a chime blowing through the wind from miles away but you can still hear the gentle whispered singing from it that the birds repeat oh so smoothly. And Hinata realizes that the boy was too perfect and there lies the flaw Naruto must fix before it becomes too late and he's lost to the shadows.

"He's perfect." Sasuke says, his voice even and his eyes somewhat soft. He is remembering.

"Too perfect." Naruto agrees and the two men turn to Hinata simultaneously, making her huff because she knows that means it is time to decide. It is time to play the games and it is all her decision.

"I just don't see why it's _my_ choice when it's _her_ life." Hinata says easily, her stutter gone with the years that'd left the scar too deep and the wound unable to close.

"Did she not choose well for you, my love?" Sasuke whispers and there is hurt evident in his eyes even though his voice is even and unbreaking. And she closes her eyes because it was and still is a sore spot to speak of _her_. Sasuke sighs and Naruto gives him a remorseful smile, soft and sad.

"I'll follow the kid. You two meet up when you can." He decides and kisses Hinata's cheek before leaving. And after all these years a small blush makes it's way to her cheeks.

"Sasuke." She whispers breathlessly after the silence in unbearable any longer but he shakes his head, not wanting to hear the words he knows she'll whisper to him.

"Please don't.

And once again it is Hinata that is left to realize that they will never be fully fixed. The chink in their armor is far too much and she grazes a hand over her flat stomach and the scar running down the left side.

"I'm sorry."


	2. Chapter One

**I hope this is somewhat good. I struggled with a good start because if you read _Strength, Honor, and Love_ then you'll know that Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata were all best friends growing up. I changed that in this rewrite to make it a bit more like the actual Naruto story-line. Obviously it's not anything like the real Naruto story line but yeah.**

**There isn't any SasuHina in this chapter, sorry. And no, Kakashi and Iruka don't date and never will. This is Hinata's pov and she just ponders the relations they've had based on their acting to one another. Don't worry.**

**Leave a review, please. Unbeta'd.**

**/\**

**Name: **_**Silent Bliss**_

**Chapter Couples: _NaruHina, kibahina, kakairuka_**

**Chapter Genres: _family - friendship - mystery - romance - suspense _**

**Chapter Rated: _T - Kiba cusses once oops._****_  
_**

**Status: **_**In-Progress**_

**Time: _Sixteen years into the past. The day the Genin were assigned to a three-man-cell and a Jounin teacher._****_  
_**

**Note: **_**This is a different world, an AU. Everyone is OOC - Don't complain. Hinata is especially OOC in this. She is a true Hyuga.**_

**/\**

**Silent Bliss**

**Chapter One**

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Hinata had woken up early that day to make her appearance worthy enough for that of the Hyuga Heiress. She wore her bandages to bind and cover her breasts and her fishnet shirt over that. Her signature pale yellow-cream jacket was zipped up all the way to her neck and her tan pants were in place over her clean set of underwear. When her shoes were buckled and her brand new Konoha-issued Hitai-ate was in place around her neck like fine jewelry she made her way to the academy, her head held high and her presence demanding respect.

She had almost made it into the gates when she was suddenly pushed against, resulting in her ungraceful fall to the earth below.

With a small glare on her normally soft feature, the Heiress looked at her attacker. She wasn't surprised to see none other than Naruto Uzumaki, adopted son to Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, looking down at her sheepishly. She'd met him on the occasional Great Clan Meetings but other than those and class she'd never really interacted with the boy.

"Ah! Hyuga-chan!" He started when her pale eyes finally met his bright blue ones. "Forgive me, I hadn't realized you were in front of me when I was running! You see, I had been trying to beat Sasuke in this race and-" She stopped listening there because his excuses had bored her to be quite frank.

She stood slowly and dusted the imaginary dirt off her person. "Please," she cut off the boy's rambling and held up a hand to show he wasn't to speak any more. "I should have been able to move out of the way. My head was in the clouds." Her eyes softened incredibly when he smiled brightly at her, his nervous features gone in the height of her somewhat forgiveness. "Do be more careful, Uchiha-san." She offered before moving away from him and towards the doors of the classroom.

"Ah, actually!" He called and she paused mid-step, her head turned to look back at him and show she was listening. "I go by Uzumaki now, Hyuga-chan." He grinned and she nodded, sending a small smile back at him because it was slightly impossible not to feed off his energy.

"Of course. See you inside, Uzumaki-san. And be careful." She reminded once more before disappearing behind the door and leaving the brightly colored ninja behind, a small warmth in his stomach and his heart beat speeding just a fraction more than it should.

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Inside the classroom, students that has passed the exams gathered to wait for Iruka-sensei, their current teacher. Hinata was the first girl there, but there was four other boys in the room. Glancing around quickly she noticed it was Shino Aburame, Chouji Akimichi and his close friend, Shikamaru Nara. And lastly, Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto's adopted brother.

_It would seem that Uchiha-san has won the race,_ she thought with a small, barely there, smile.

With quick strides she made her way to the top of the seats, ignoring the small smile Chouji gave her when she passed by him. It wasn't that she didn't like Chouji himself, but as of last month's Great Clan's Meeting, the Akimichi and Hyuga were on thin water. And she didn't want to upset her Father nor Clan Elders if they found she was being friendly with an Akimichi.

As soon as she reached her seat and sat down, an arm was thrown around her shoulder's and she fought the urge to hiss. How she didn't notice the Inuzuka brat known as Kiba was unknown to her but she hadn't and she instantly regretted her choices to not look for a fifth head and only assume the four were with her.

"Hinata-chan!" The boy grinned and his pup yipped excitedly. Hinata sighed and smiled at the dog for she had a soft spot for animals but other than that she ignored the two and gazed out the window next to her. "Neh, so I was thinking that'd since both our Clans are trackers-Clans we would probably be put onto the same team! It would balance us out evenly and everything." He smirked as if he had figured out the answers to it all.

"Kiba," she greeted finally, her voice strained but it's not like he cared nor noticed that. "What you just said makes little sense. If we were put on the same team there would be no balance. Two trackers? What about the other teams that would need trackers? You must have not thought it through too much but if we were placed on the same team then it would be for a far different reason than our tracking abilities."

Kiba opened his mouth to answer but there was a loud and obnoxious laugh that filled the room and everyone turned to Naruto, who had just made his appearance known. He pointed up at Hinata and Kiba with one hand, holding the other to his stomach as if it hurt. "You just got burned by a girl, Kiba!" He laughed louder and another laugh came from someone else, this time deep and low. More of a chuckle.

Hinata looked down two rows and saw Sasuke Uchiha smirking in Kiba's general direction, his eyes closed and body relaxed back in his seat. "He has a point, Mutt. Aburame, you, and Hyuga-san are about the three best trackers in this room. If any of you were put together, it wouldn't be because tracking balanced you out it'd be for another reason." He said, basically repeated what Hinata has said but adding a third, Shino, into the mix.

At his name being voiced, Shino joined the conversation with his mysterious voice and dark shades. "Why? Because of our clans bloodlines we'd be the perfect tracking team. But. The other teams would be slightly unbalanced unless they used past generations as reference. However balance would not be a team player in these terms. Possibly agility. Or the need for a solid tracking team alone." He stated and Naruto laughed harder, making his way to sit next to Sasuke.

With ears burnt red from embarrassment, Kiba quickly moved away from Hinata and headed to his own seat on the other side of the room, burying his face in his arms and complaining under his breath.

"Now children," they all heard the soft and stern voice of their sensei, Iruka, as he entered the room. "Kiba had a valid point of a tracking team, he just used his wording wrong. Please apologize." When no one moved to do so, Iruka sighed and shook his head. "Alright, let's get started then-"

"Wait!" A cry came from a loud voice. Though loud, it was soft and feminine and Hinata recognized it as one Ino Yamanka. Just as assumed, said girl ran through the door, panting, with Sakura Haruno on her heels. "Forgive me for being late sensei!" Ino wheezed and Iruka sent them both an annoyed frown but the fondness in his eyes was not lost to Hinata's all seeing ones.

"Alright, Ino. You're both forgiven. Take your seats so we can being." He said easily and both females grinned his way before making their way to their seats, Sakura closest to Hinata and Ino down below in front of Shino. "Now that everyone is here, we can _finally_ begin."

But something else had came up and suddenly, materializing next to Iruka's desk was a ninja Hinata had never seen and only heard of through stories. She had been questioning his existence until that moment and seeing him was all too real.

"Kakashi Hatake." One of her classmates breathed in surprise and she thought it was Sakura at the time but she wasn't exactly sure.

The man was tall, taller than Iruka-sensei. And he had wild white-grey hair that made Hinata wonder if that was the natural color or not because she had never seen anything like it before. It looked fake, just sitting on top of his head without movement, like cardboard. His one eye was hard and stern and she had heard he was such a laid back man that it made her wonder who the _real_ Kakashi Hatake was.

"Iruka." He said in more just noticing him than greeting him and a soft flush became noticeable on their sensei's face. Kakashi ignored it glanced back over the class, his eye landing on that of Sasuke's and Naruto's and pausing for a fraction of a second before moving on and looking the rest of them over. "Hokage-sama has come across something and asked me to give you this." He produced a folder from what seemed thin air and stiffened when his hand grazed that of their academy sensei's.

"Ah! Is this-"

"Hai."

Iruka looked suddenly discouraged and glanced around nervously. "Are they-"

"Here?" Kakashi interrupted him again and turned to look Iruka over boredly. Hinata vaguely wondered the relationship between the two of them. Their body language screamed that they were familiar with one another but every thing else showed hostility. Although most of it came from Kakashi rather than Iruka. "Possibly." He finished before turning away from Iruka. "They aren't here for you, though, so no worrying."

He shrugged indifferently and Hinata saw his eye fit over Sasuke's and Naruto's forms once more before he disappeared in front of their very eyes; gone in a flash of nothing.

Hinata glanced at the two brothers who had their heads leaned close to one another. They seemed to be whispering something to each other but she was too far away to hear what exactly. It made Hinata frown and she so badly tried to work out how Kakashi Hatake knew the adopted brothers but it didn't fit. None of it fit and she realized the only thing that connected Kakashi to them was his Sharingan eye.

"Alright class, ano... change of plans." Iruka gulped nervously. "I need to see-"

"Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and... Hinata Hyuga." The deep voice made chills run down her back and she realized she had only had that much fear and respect for one man before and that was her Father. Not even the Hokage made her eyes widen and her body shake.

Not like Itachi Uchiha did.

"Holy shit!" She heard Kiba exclaim and everyone else agreed in their own murmurs at the sheer surprise that Itachi Uchiha, ANBU Captain and Heir to the Uchiha throne, was in their classroom. It wasn't so much as a surprise that he called for Sasuke and Naruto seeing as they were his brothers but every pair of eyes slid over to her when the Great Uchiha so easily spoke her name after a short pause.

Sasuke and Naruto were at either of his sides before anyone could say anything else and all three Uchiha men slid their solid eyes over to her in question at her open hesitance. "Hinata?" Iruka asked and she seemed to come back from the daze she was in.

"Gomen nasai." She breathed almost silently and had not they all been ninja, no one in the room would have heard her. She stood and willed her knees to stop shaking. She wasn't afraid of her classmates more so than their terrifying brother. And by the look he was giving her, she knew her hesitance annoyed him.

So she held her head high and walked slowly down the stairs so she didn't trip, standing next to Naruto because if anything she was more familiar with him from their conversation that morning than with Sasuke for they never said more than five words to one another. And she definitely didn't want to be next to Itachi.

When all three of the Genin were in his grasp, he lifted his eyes over to Iruka once more and nodded before grabbing Sasuke and Naruto's arms, leaving Naruto to grab Hinata's, and left in the air just as Kakashi had. Hinata closed her eyes and only opened them back up with the fire that ran through her body disappeared.

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They had entered the Hokage's chambers and it was then that Hinata realized she'd never really been inside the Hokage's Tower before that moment. Wow. Not at all what the young Hyuga expected. It was... plain to say in lack of a better word.

Itachi stepped away from the three Genin and went to stand between the man she recognized as Fugaku Uchiha and her Father.

Hiashi's eyes fitted over her's and she went to silently ask him what she had done to be summoned by the Hokage but she read the immense pride and soft worry in his deep silver eyes, making her pause in her questions. _Father has never looked at me like this before... what has happened?_ Hinata asked worriedly and turned her attention to the Hokage who sat at his desk. On either side of him was Kakashi Hatake and a women she'd never seen before.

She was beautiful with skin that seemed pale but tan all at once and fire blazing in her soft hazel eyes. Her hair stood in spikes of purple of her head and had it not been for her defined curves and the skin she showed Hinata might have assumed she was just a very feminine male.

"Young Uchiha," He greeted Sasuke, who bowed in respect instantly, and Hinata lifted her eyes from the woman's stature and looked to their leader in respect. "You are growing quite well, young man. Taking after your mother's looks, I see." He complimented and Hinata glanced just in time to see Sasuke's embarrassment but he didn't move other than blink his long eyelashes. "Tell Lady Uchiha she has done a wonderful job raising you, won't you?"

Sasuke nodded at their leader once. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Oh!" The Hokage grinned and looked up at Fugaku and Itachi. "So polite too. He'll be a fine leader one day." Fugaku stiffened slightly at his words and Itachi gave a fond look to his little brother but it was gone within a flash. Leader? Perhaps he is to run the police force.

"And Naruto." He greeted by first name, making Hinata wonder how her classmate was so familiar with their Hokage when she, Heiress of her clan, had yet to meet him until that moment. "I see you've decided Uzumaki was your birth right." He commented and Naruto sent him a small grin, ignoring the warning glare his adopted father gazed at him with.

"It's what my father would have wanted," he replied and every adult in the room stiffened, minus Saratobi of course, at the mention of Naruto's father. It made Hinata frown. Who was his father? Uzumaki?

"That is right." The Hokage agreed and finally he slid his warm eyes over to meet her's and Hinata wondered if her earlier notion about not be scared of their leader was right. "And.. Miss Hyuga. You are Hiashi's eldest daughter?" He asked, his confusion clear.

Hinata bowed in greeting and spoke softly, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"The Heiress and the Heirs." Saratobi said in wonder and her eyes lifted in confusion. Heirs? Itachi? Was Naruto an Heir once? Where was his clan?

"Good." The Hokage clapped and Hinata wondered again what the seemingly senile old man was going on about. Why was she here? What was happening? She'd never felt so lost before and the feeling pulled at her gut in a longing kind of way, making her shift uncomfortably.

"Well, know that the introductions are over, you are dismissed to leave." The Hokage waved them off and a delicate brow raised over pale eyes. What did he mean? Nothing happened! "Ah, Lady Hyuga." He whispered and she froze mid step. She was no Lady Hyuga. "Your daughter is as curious as you were." He pointed up and Hinata felt warmth hit her like a hug from one's parents.

"Hinata." Her father said stiffly and she gulped, turning to him. "Come. We are no longer needed." The pride and worry were gone from his eyes and back was the annoyance and anger. She suddenly felt helpless, like she was five again.

"Hai, Father." She whispered and was by his side in an instant, ignoring the looks of confusion sent to her by her classmates when the man she called Father grabbed her by the arm and roughly dragged her out the room.

If she looked back she would have seen the three Uchiha Brothers tense and glaring at her Father.


	3. Chapter Two

**Sorry for the roundabout confusion in the last chapter. I didn't want to give too much away too soon. Another ending that leaves you in suspense, sorry. I had planned to have Itachi explain what was happening but in the end it didn't work out that way and this chapter basically wrote itself. Sorry.**

**Leave a review, please. Unbeta'd.**

**/\**

**Name: **_**Silent Bliss**_

**Chapter Couples: _JirTsu, side naruhina and sasuhina mentioned_****_  
_**

**Chapter Genres: _family - friendship - humor - mystery - romance - suspense_****_  
_**

**Chapter Rated: _T - i guess_****_  
_**

**Status: **_**In-Progress**_

**Time: _The next day._****_  
_**

**Note: **_**This is a different world, an AU. Everyone is OOC - Don't complain. **_

**/\**

**Silent Bliss**

**Chapter Two**

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It was the next morning when Hinata realized she'd never been assigned her team. Unless the Hokage spoke to teams and she was on a team with Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki, which she hoped wasn't the case.

It not that she didn't like the brother because she didn't know either of them well enough to go off of that but honestly, she couldn't care less for them.

Naruto Uzumaki, formally gone by Uchiha, was a trouble maker. He thought he was on top of the world and while he was quirky and a bit cute, he was far too self-induced for her. He liked to start fights regularly and Hinata believed if it wasn't for Sasuke and his adopted clan he wouldn't have graduated at all. Instead he graduated bottom of the class with a barely pass.

Sasuke Uchiha, on the other hand, was a jerk. He had a large fan club but always made rude comments towards anyone of the female race. He was too comfortable on his high pedestal of Number One Rookie and his cockiness knew no boundaries. He was also short tempered and didn't know how to take no for an answer but she wouldn't find that out until later in life.

All in all, she'd hate to be their teammate. One, maybe. But both?

That was hell to pay on it's own.

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At breakfast, Hinata watched her father closely. He was picking at his food and only really ate one or two bites at most. He'd never done that before.

"Father?" A small voice called from Hinata's left. Hanabi Hyuga would be turning eight soon and entering the academy. Hinata envied her sister for many reason. She had inherited the standard Hyuga look of pale white eyes and mahogany brown hair. She was beautiful and Hinata so wanted to hate her but she couldn't.

"Daughter." Hiashi spoke lowly, permitting Hanabi to continue on. Hinata wanted to frown at that, has she been the one to call him name and question him then he would have sent her away without finishing her food. But Hanabi? He die before allowing her to leave the table with only eaten half her breakfast. _Your sister needs her strength, you need to grow up. Be the heiress your mother left you as._

Hanabi glanced at Hinata for a second before turning back to their father. "You seem distracted. Are you feeling unwell?"

A small, barely noticeable, smile appeared on the Hyuga Clan Leader's face. "No, Hanabi. I am just, distracted as you've noticed. Please, finish your meal and make your way to the training grounds. I will arrive soon." He promised before standing. "Hinata, follow."

Fear hit her hard and she stood, adjusting the jacket she wore before starting down the hall. Making sure she was standing four inches to his right and three inches behind him.

Once in his office, she watched as her father graceful sat behind his desk and produced a scroll. "Your Sensei brought this for you. You are to meet him and your teammates today. Don't be late and don't embarrass your clan." The _like you did yesterday_ was silently said with his eyes and Hinata nodded, taking the scroll from him and bowing. "Dismissed."

"Hai, Father." She murmured before quickly leaving his office and heading for her room to gather her pouch and necessities.

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.

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The scroll was quite simple. It only read _Training Grounds Thirteen_. So she made her way there, her mind battling with itself who her team was.

Part of her was sure it was Sasuke and Naruto. The three of them met with the Hokage yesterday and were the only ones to not meet with their Sensei. She didn't like it, but it was a logical approach. But the balance was weird. If she was on a team with those two then how would the other teams work out?

The other part of her was just hoping and praying she was placed with someone else. She'd take Kiba over the Uchiha boys any day. And sure, Naruto wasn't a blood Uchiha but he was raised as one and end the end they were all just Cocky bastards, much like her own clan was. She didn't want to deal with two Uchiha for the rest of her life.

Of course she didn't plan on being a Genin for the rest of her life but she saw it. Teams tended to stick together forever. Even her father's old teammates came for lunch once a week so the three of them could catch up and talk.

With a sigh she stepped into the clearing, biting her lip at what she saw. Thirty shadow clones of one Naruto Uzumaki hid around the clearing and into the trees and bushes surrounding it. She stayed quite and glanced at Sasuke Uchiha who had stood in the middle of the training grounds by himself, his eyes closed and body relaxed.

Was this how they trained?

Suddenly the raven haired boy opened his eyes, revealing the deep black eyes she'd grown used to over the years. He produced kunai and shuriken so suddenly that her Byakugan activated to watch more clearly. Then he was throwing them left and right. One came at her and she ducked, only to hear a pop later meaning he'd hit another clone.

A minute later the real Naruto dropped by next to her with a grin on his face. "Hyuga-chan!" He said excited and Sasuke turned to look at them boredly. "So you're our teammate huh? That's what Sasuke said since we had that weird meeting thing with the old man yesterday but I didn't wanna get my hopes up."

_Hopes up..._ she thought before nodding to the blonde. "It would seem so, Uzumaki-san."

"How many did he hit, Hinata." A sudden voice filled her ears and her eyes went wide, causing her to jump back and look to her left. She hadn't noticed the man before her. He was tall, very tall. A his eyes were red with power, the pupil-like dots in them swirling eagerly. He raised an eyebrow at her starstruck state. "Forgive me for startling you. Do you prefer 'Hyuga-san'? I didn't care for formalities since I am your Sensei but if you prefer it I will abide by your wishes."

_Sensei..._ She groaned inwardly. "Hinata is fine, Sensei." She bowed once before glancing around the clearing and noting all the shadow clones were gone. "All thirty." She murmured in slight awe. Firstly, how Naruto could produce so many of them was crazy. She had trouble keeping seven for more than fifteen minutes. Secondly, Sasuke hadn't even unlocked his Dojutsu yet so how could he manage to find them all and destroy them in under sixty seconds flat? Furthermore, _Itachi Uchiha_ was their sensei. Nothing in this equation made sense to her.

"Aa," Itachi nodded as Sasuke made his way over to them after collecting his weapons from the trees and bushes around them. He was fast. "Next time make it fifty, Naruto. We don't want him slowly down." Her teammates gave identical smirks and she vaguely wondered if somewhere down the line they were related. They looked nothing alike but their opposites made them more similar. "Hinata, your turn."

"What?" She asked, coming out her daze and looked at the three brothers in confusion. She didn't know this stuff. She was a Hyuga, they fought hand combat.

"I read your file," Itachi explained slowly. "I don't like that your clan restricted most of your training. You need to learn other things and I'd prefer if you didn't just know hand-to-hand combat. That'll get you and your team killed in the long run." She winced and remembered her father's words. _Don't embarrass your clan. I'm sorry, Father, I'll try harder._

"Of course.." She murmured and walked to the middle of the training grounds with her head hung in shame. She hated being on this team already and it's been five minutes.

"Start her off with five, as we did Sasuke." Itachi murmured to the youngest brother, who nodded and easily produced five clones. "Do not use your Dojutsu, Hinata. Let's see how well you work without it." He called to the girl and then then three brothers were hiding in trees to watch her. "Begin."

.

.

.

Hinata wasn't a violent person, which counters the fact that she was a ninja. She honestly hated violence and would try to stop it before it could escalate. But that day, Hinata condoned violence for the first time in her life.

And she wanted to take it out on the three Uchiha brothers.

.

.

.

She managed to hit three without her Byakugan and all five with it. Six without, ten with. Ten without, fourteen with. It stopped there. Itachi said twenty clones and she could barely manage the fourteen. It was clear this was not Hinata's thing. That or maybe being a ninja just wasn't her thing.

"You'll get better." Itachi promised and nodded at her tense figure. "Sasuke's been doing this since he was six, granted I couldn't produce as many clones as Naruto.." he trailed off boredly. "They'll help you." He decided and the two boys in question nodded.

"Yeah, don't worry! We got your back!" Naruto giggled with a stupid grin on his face.

"In the end I'll have my own back," she replied dully and shifted. Her fathers words lay heavy on her shoulders and she wanted to take her anger out on him as well. But she held it in and simply clenched her fist. Bowing to the three she murmured a goodbye before turning to leave.

Itachi stopped her though. "We aren't done here." It made her want to cry. "Physical training is, yes. But you're a team and need to act as one."

_But I don't _want_ to be a team._ She growled in her head. But on the outside she nodded, "Hai."

.

.

.

This was dumb, even she had to admit that. And it seemed her teammates agreed. But Itachi wouldn't let them leave until this was over with. They all sat at the local tea shop in a back corner. It was hard, sitting next to someone you knew nothing about and then trying to find out about them.

This was _very_ dumb.

"Sasuke," Itachi warned and the younger boy groaned in defeat, slumping against the booth again. "Now, since you're all so excited-" _sarcasm, nice _"-I'll go first." Suddenly all three were more into this. Itachi Uchiha was going to share secrets about himself. Yes, please. "My name is Uchiha Itachi and I am the Heir to the Uchiha Clan." He started, very boredly. So even he knew was dumb. "I like..." nose wrinkling "sweets and the quite. I dislike..." a sigh "wasting time and large crowds. My hobbies include.." another sigh, this one of annoyance "reading and I tend to enjoy helping my mother tend to her garden." That was a surprise. So Itachi Uchiha gardened? Nice. "My goals of the future would be to.." he suddenly stopped and looked at the three, seeing them on the edge of his seat. Could he agree to this? Could he really say this? He sighed. "Be a great clan leader."

Bullshit.

Naruto groaned when Itachi called on him to proceed next. Then he flashed a grin at them all. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto and I happen to be the adopted kid to Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha. The old man says I'm so Heir to something but I think it's a load of bull-" He received a smack to his head and groaned. "Man, Niisan. You're mean." He pouted, but quickly gained his smile back and continued with his introduction. "I like ramen and training. Well, I like learning new moves but usual training is pretty boring." He got side tracked easily too. "I _hate_ homework and when Mikoto-Kaa makes me eat healthy crap like _broccoli_. But she makes up for it so whatever. My hobbies are hanging out with that bastard," he paused and pointed to Sasuke who rolled his eyes, "and my goals of the future is to be Hokage!"

Itachi only wished Naruto would meet that goal, though it'd never be.

It was Hinata's turn and she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I am Hyuga Hinata, Heiress to my clan." She murmured and fiddled with her tea cup. "I like taking long walks at sunset and cinnamon buns." She flushed prettily, and closed her eyes. "I dislike Great Clan Meetings and sea food. My hobbies are pressing flowers and volunteering at the orphanage and lower levels at the academy." She paused at that. Did she have any goals of the future? Maybe to be a great clan leader. Or to bring the clan together like it was before. No more lower branches.. "My goal of the future is to... get stronger." She breathed.

If she had looked up she would have seen Itachi's ghost smile.

Lastly Sasuke shifted uncomfortably next to her seeing as it was his turn. "Right.. I like," he flinched suddenly "I like poetry - writing poetry." He whispered and Naruto coughed just so he wouldn't laugh. Hinata, on the other hand, was looking at him like he'd just shot someone randomly. Sasuke's face was red. "I dislike sweets and annoying girls who think they love someone they don't know." That's when Naruto did laugh because it was well known throughout the village that Sasuke had plenty of fangirls. The boy shot his adopted a look that promised pain and the blonde shut up. "My hobbies include reading, writing, and.." he groaned "and training." Lies. "My goal of the future is... I don't know. Get married or something." He shrugged.

Itachi rolled his eyes because of course his brother wouldn't have any goals.

"Good." The oldest of them all nodded and stood. "See, that wasn't so painful. Converse with yourselves and get to know each other better. I will be back in an hour to collect you."

.

.

.

Two men stood watching, one with fire yellow eyes and the other with soft black ones. They seemed far from amused and actually looked quite annoyed as their gaze held onto that of the three children's, watching them sit awkwardly once their sensei left them.

"They'd both do her well," a soft murmur filled their ears and the men turned to see the third member of their trio, this one female.

"You need to pick one, my love." The white haired man whispered and wrapped his arm around her waist. "And quickly. It's seems as if she'd already made her own choice." They gazed and watched the white-eyed female moved away from the boy she sat next to, obviously displeased with him and whatever he had said.

"Aa," she agreed and watched them closely. "Naruto is too... strung on his past." She murmured and turned to her lover. "He needs to focus on himself."

"Then Sasuke." The other man cut in, looking towards his teammates dully. "You sure you want to put Naruto through another loss? Sasuke would handle it better." He admits and feels the small ache hit him hard.

"Sasuke," the woman decided, her voice hard. "Naruto can handle it. Sasuke would lose control."

"You're sure?" A new voice asked and they turned to see spinning red eyes. "Sasuke would be a bad choice." He admitted, looking at the Powerful Three before him.

Hazel eyes lifted and she laughed, shaking her head. "Sasuke is the perfect choice, actually."

She would soon regret that.


End file.
